Railway axle journal lubricator



Nov. 24, 1953 J. .1. HENNESSY RAILWAY AXLE- JOURNAL LUBRICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1950 Ira/ch75!" games c/ Hen 765s 1 FIG. 2. w

Nov. 24, 1953 J. J.IHENNESSY 2,660,488

RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Oct. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 38 'it:Ill $211112; 39

Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY AXLE JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Application October 9, 1950, Serial No. 189,232

8 Claims.

The invention relates to mechanical lubricators used with railway axle journal and journal box assemblies for pumping oil from the bottom of the box to the surface of the journal.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with journal, box and lubricatcr structure of the type disclosed in my application filed January 10, 1950, Serial No. 167,409 in which a distributor is mounted upon a jointed frame-work supported from the bottom of the box and is thrust against the underside of the journal by a yielding strut connected to the jointed frame-work and seated on a downwardly facing part of the box. An operating lever for the lubricator pump is iulcrumed on the framework and the position of the lever lengthwise of the box and journal depends upon the distance between the bottom wall of the box and the bottom oi the journal. This depth varies in original assemblies and also varies with permissible wear of the journal and its bearing. Such variation, in itself, does not affect the operation of the usual waste packed journal box and will not prevent operation of the mechanical lubricator described in the above-mentioned application but it is desirable to maintain the same distance between the end of the journal and the pump lever fulcrum to obtain the most advantageous operation and the main object of the present invention is to insure such maintenance.

Another object is to facilitate insertion of the lubricator into the box beneath the journal assembled therewith and, if necessary, the removal of the lubricator from the box.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating selected embodiments of the invention:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an American Association of Railroads standard type journal box and wedge and bearing mounted upon a railway axle journal and fitted with a mechanical lubricator of the kind shown in the above-mentioned patent application.

Figure 2 is in part a transverse section on the line 2,.-2 of Figure l and in part an end view of. the structure shown in Figure 1 with a portion of the box broken away to better illustrate the lubricator parts.

Figure 3 is a top detail view of structure shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a detail section corresponding to a portion of Figure l and illustrating another form ofthe invention.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse detail section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail horizontal section and top view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

The journal I which is shown in Figures 1 and 2 is fitted with a bearing 2 supporting a wedge 3 on which rests top wall 4 of a journal box also having side Walls 5, rear walls 6 and I and a bottom wall 8 which is curved upwardly and forwardly at 9 towards the box front opening In.

The lubricator mounted in the box includes a pad-like distributor Ii applied to the underface of the journal and held against the journal by supports I2 and I3 pivotally connected to the distributor at I4 and I5, respectively, and diverging downwardly. The lower end of support I2 is seated against the box bottom wall 8 and inner rear end wall 6. This support is extensible, comprising telescoping elements I6 and I1 and a spring I8 thrusting the elements apart.

Support I3 is seated at I9 on box wall portion 9 and the forward outer endof support I3 mounts a yielding structure 2|], the upper end of which is seated against a downwardly facing element 2| on the box top wall 4.

Associated with the distributor II is a pump device including a collapsible body 23 supported on the inner end of the arm 24a of a jointed lever fulcrumed at 25 to a bracket I3a. The operating arm 24 of the lever extends upwardly from its pivot 25a on bracket [3a and is actuated by the play of journal I crosswise of the box to tilt arm 24a and alternately expand and collapse body 23 to draw lubricant into the latter and then to discharge it to the distributor.

The thrust of springs 22 of structure 29 tends to move supports I2 and I3 towards the rear of the box, until support I2 is seated against rear wall (5, and then thrust the adjacent ends of members I2 and I3 upwardly until distributor II contacts the journal. At such time the pump fulcrum 25 will be spaced a pre-determined distance X from the face of journal I engaged by the upper end of pump lever 24 and the quantity of lubricant discharged by each movement of the journal will be determined by the dimension X. Obviously if the distance between box bottom wall 8 and the bottom of the journal increases for any reason the resulting upward movement of the adjacent ends of supports I2 and I3 would cause pump fulcrum 25-to move towards the lower end of support I2 thus increasing the dimension X and varying the discharg of the pump with a given movement of journal I in its normal position.

To avoid this result a linkage 26 is used to connect the portion of support l3, on which the pump is fulcrumed, with the portion of support 12 seated against the box rear wall, thus preventing the movement of these parts relative to each other lengthwise of the box. The telescoping action of elements l6, 11, will result in the continued thrust of distributor l I against the journal without affecting the movement of fulcrum longitudinally of the box or its relation to the end of the journal which engages the upper end of pump lever 24.

Preferably linkage 26 consists of a length of spring wire formed in U-shape and adapted to yield transversely of its length to accommodate pivoted action of supports l2 and I3 on each other as the lubricator is inserted within or removed from the space between the journal and the bottom of the box.

The spring nature of linkage 26 does not affect its function to space the parts to which its ends are respectively connected and to hold them against relative movement longitudinally of the lubricator, journal and box.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show another structure having the same general formation although differing substantially in detail.

In these figures the journal is indicated at 35, the distributor at 3|, the box bottom wall at 32 and the box inner rear end wall at 33. The

distributor supports are shown at and 35. Support 34 is distinguished from support l2 previously described in comprising a rigid frame. Support 35 corresponds to support [3 previously described and is similarly provided with a yielding structure (not shown) at its outer end corresponding to structure 20.

A carrier 36 is pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of supports 34 and 35 by pins 3'; extending transversely of the lubricator. Carrier 36 has recesses 38 seating springs 39 on which rests the bottom plate 49 of the distributor.

Welded or otherwise secured to the underside of carrier 33 are stops 4| positioned to engage support 35 if it pivots about left-hand pin 31 thereby limiting such pivotal movement and the elevation of carrier 36 as the outer of support 35 is thrust downwardly and inwardly of the box. This limitation does not affect the contact of the lubricator with the journal because of the action of springs 39 which insure such contact irrespective of variation in the distance between the journal and the bottom of the box irrespective of the fact that carrier 35 may not be raised above the position shown in Figure 4.

As a result, the lever fulcrumed on support 25 will be maintained at a pre-determined distance from the inner end wall of the box and from the outer end of the journal which is contacted by the lever.

The lubricator structure may be varied otherwise as illustrated in the drawings and as described without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon, means for supplying lubricant from the lower portion of the box to the journal and including support members and a device mounted thereon and engaging the end of the journal, a yielding structure connected to said support members and engaging a downwardly facing element on the box to thrust said support members towards each other and rearwardly of the box, and means limiting the movement of said support members toward each other.

2. In combination with a railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon, means for supplying lubricant from the lower portion of the box to the journal including relatively movable support members and a device mounted thereon and engaging the end of the journal, a yielding structure connected to said members and engaging a downwardly facing element on the box to thrust said members towards each other and rearwardly of the box, means limiting the movement of said members towards each other, a lubricant distributor above said support members, and yielding means thrusting said distributor against the journal independently of the thrust of said yielding structure.

3. In a railway axle journal box lubricator, a lubricant distributor for application to the lower face of the journal, supporting frames having ends movably connected to the distributor, said frames diverging downwardly from their connections to the distributor, one of said frames being extensible, and linkage connecting the lower portions of said frames.

4. In a railway axle journal box lubricator, a lubricant distributor for application to the surface of the journal, supporting frames for said distributor pivotally connected thereto and diverging downwardly therefrom, a pump for supplying lubricant to said distributor and including a lever fulcrumed on one of said frames, and a link connecting a point on the latter-mentioned frame near the lever fulcrum to the lower end of the other frame.

5. In combination with a railway axle journal and a box mounted thereon and having an inner end wall at the rear of the box and having a bottom wall with a portion curved upwardly and outwardly at the front of the box, a support member seated against the inner end wall and inclined upwardly and forwardly from its seat, a support seated intermediate its ends on said wall portion and inclined upwardly, forwardly and rearwardly from its seat, means thrusting the forward of said latter-mentioned member downwardly, a lubricant distributor structure pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of said members, and a stop on said structure engaged by one of said members to limit its movement towards the other member.

6. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a lubricant distributor having a concave upper surface shaped for application to a journal, a yielding support therefor including elongated parts with their upper ends secured to the distributor and their lower ends spaced apart and movable relative to each other longitudinally of the distributor, a pump including an operating lever fulcrumed on one of said parts and having an arm facing towards but spaced from one end of the distributor, and means limiting the movement of said parts away from each other.

'7. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a lubricant distributor having a concave upper face shaped for application to a journal, elongated members extending downwardly from the dis tributor and diverging from each other lengthwise of the distributor and including spring means and forming a yielding support for the distributor, a pump associated with the distributor and provided with an operating lever fulcrumed on the lower part of one of said members, and means spacing the lower parts of the 5 members from each other longitudinally of the distributor.

8. In a railway axle journal lubricator, a lubricant distributor having a concave upper face shaped for application to a journal, 2, carrier beneath the distributor and provided with spring means yieldingly mounting the distributor, elongated supports pivotally secured to said carrier and diverging downwardly therefrom longitudinally of the distributor, and means limiting the 10 movement of the lower portions of said supports towards each other.

JAMES J. HENNESSY.

References Cited in the file 01' this patent Number 7 5'7, 145 1,989,4 17

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Rogers Apr. 12, 1904 Hennessy Jan. 29, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Aug 18, 1897 

